What is this cassette / freewheel and can I replace it?

[KneesUp]

I have acquired a 1989 road bike that I’d like to keep as original as possible but the gearing is to high for me / the edge of the Peaks.

The hub is not a cassette hub as I understand it but neither is it a free hub as I understand it.

It has regular spacing of the splines unlike a cassette, and there is no separate lock ring; the last cog screws on to lock it in place. But there is no thread on the inside of the hub unlike an old fashioned freewheel. The thread is at the outer end of the hub.

Is it possible to still get this type of ‘cluster’ and if so, what is it called / what should I search for. Thanks.
Pictures below - I bought the bike from the coast so will have to clean the sand out of it.

 

[Ajax Bay]

"The smallest sprocket on a Uniglide cassette is not splined, it is threaded. The threads of this sprocket holds everything else together."
In those days, men were men and didn't need a gear shorter than 37".
"Uniglide cassettes are no longer available. If you have a hub that only uses Uniglide cassettes, the best thing to do is to upgrade the hub by transplanting a Hyperglide body onto it."
Info: https://cycleseven.org/uniglide-and-hyperglide-compatibility/

 

[Jameshow]

I have a rear wheel which might possibly be that. Vintage? It's a 7 speed RSX.
I gave it to my mate but he couldn't change the cassette!!
If you want it your welcome to it? Where are you.

 

[Paulus]

There some Uniglide cassettes available on the Ebay.

 

[Ajax Bay]

There are @Paulus but the OP is after one with a larger than 1980s large sprocket: I could find none (when I looked). Can you link to one please? Not in the USA and less than $70!
Think the way ahead is to swap the Uniglide freehub out for a HG (I have not done this but if I had to I would look with more diligence at the links I've shared).
Frankly this 'keep it as original as possible' and 'climb all the mountains' (double chevrons aplenty around here) is not a dilemma I have; the OP's MMV but also note the RD comment below.
I suspect the frame has 126mm dropouts.
So actually a 6sp freewheel hubbed wheel would remain true to decade, offer an MTB style block (but the 'original as possible' RD may struggle to guide the chain onto anything more than a 28t - 'b' screw alert).
Alternatively it'll be a steel frame so the rear triangle can be spread to allow the use of a 130mm OLD wheel.

 

[fossyant]

You can use a HG hyperglide cassette if you have a dremmel to narrow the wide tab on each sprocket. I have to do this for the 26T sprocket I have on my 8 Speed Dura Ace. Ive got a load of spare sprockets from racing years, but needed a 26T as the biggest. 39x26 is just about OK - I live on the edge of the Peaks too. Can't go bigger as my mech has a very short cage.

 

[Paulus]

I have a 1989 Raleigh Royal that I reconditioned last year, that has a 6 speed Ultraglide cassette on it, fortunately it also has a 50/40/30 triple fitted so the gearing is ideal for me.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I have acquired a 1989 road bike that I’d like to keep as original as possible but the gearing is to high for me / the edge of the Peaks.

Yes, as @Paulus implies, maybe the solution for the OP is to source a period appropriate square taper chainset with a small enough small ring to allow them to climb those mountains/Peaks.

 

[KneesUp]

Thanks all for this - I didn't intend not to reply - just busy!

I've not done anything with the bike yet but I'll probably fit a triple (all my proper bikes have them, so it seems inevitable ...) and see where that gets me.

This bike is the same as the bike I had as a kid - all I did to my original was swap the 52/42 for a 52/39 because that was all I could afford to do. I took it to university, didn't ride it at all for a year, then hopped on it and rode it from Sheffield to Manchester in football shorts and trainers, with a hangover. The bearings on the right pedal disintegrated on Snake Pass so I rode the second half (mostly downhill or flat) with one pedal and one pedal axle. I bought a pie in Glossop to "fuel." Sadly, 33 years later, the legs are telling me that I need to make more significant changes than losing 3 teeth, even with both pedals fitted.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Spa Cycles are your friend.

 

[KneesUp]

"The smallest sprocket on a Uniglide cassette is not splined, it is threaded. The threads of this sprocket holds everything else together."
In those days, men were men and didn't need a gear shorter than 37".
"Uniglide cassettes are no longer available. If you have a hub that only uses Uniglide cassettes, the best thing to do is to upgrade the hub by transplanting a Hyperglide body onto it."
Info: https://cycleseven.org/uniglide-and-hyperglide-compatibility/

Well it's school holidays and I've just taken this advice and transplanted a Hyperglide body from a wheel with a knackered rim (but a decent hub) onto the wheel that came with the bike (decent rim, decent hub but Uniglide).

It all went very smoothly and it all fixed together again fine. Thanks - it would never have occurred to me, having never changed a hub body at all before today.

Next job - I have a medium cage derailleur arriving today and a Campag triple chainset and Shimano triple front derailleur to fit - which will require removal of the bottom bracket - never a fun job, because they never come out easily unless I put them in, it seems - but once the bb is out it should be pretty much done. It will work for now - eventually I'd like it all Campag or all Shimano but this is what I have spare, and it's set up for friction shifting with downtube levers anyway so there are no compatibility issues.

 

[Ajax Bay]

With the HG body on, what is the OLD of that wheel? Assume 130mm, and that fits into the frame?

 

[KneesUp]

With the HG body on, what is the OLD of that wheel? Assume 130mm, and that fits into the frame?

It's a steel frame so it will fit somehow - I've not cold set it but it has a 130 wheel on at the moment, I just pulled the stays apart to fit it.

I'm going to put the 'new' wheel on later tonight when I've had chance to move the cassette over from the temporary wheel so I'll let you know - but as you alluded to in an earlier reply, steel frames are very forgiving of the odd 4mm :-) It looks to me like it has the same OLD as before I changed, but I think my eyesight might be even more forgiving of the odd 4mm, and I have no calipers to check :-)